Adjustable armerst



J. A. sHAw ADJUSTABLE ARMREST Fld Oct. 22, 1943 17E/'CK AS/vah/ Aus- 1, 1950 Patented Aug. 1, `1950 Py-UN1TEo- STATES PATENT OFFICE ,v

j ADJUSTABLE ARMREST J ack A. Shaw, Long each, Calif. Application october 22, 194s, serial No. 55,890

1 claim. (o1. 15s- 113) This invention relates to an adjustable arm rest for divans, sofas, couches, love seats and the like and has for its primary object to provide a swingably mounted arm rest capable oibeing swung downwardly from its normal upright position to provide an additional seat or to enable a person to recline in a prone position with the legs extended and without the discomfiture or inconvenience of resting the legs on the top of an arm rest.

More particularly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an adjustable arm rest of extremely simple construction which may be incorporated in divans, sofas and the like without material modification or additional construction expense and which is capable of being quickly and easily adjusted from a normal upright position to a substantially horizontal, extended position.

Another object of the invention is to provide an` adjustable arm rest having a novel brace which is movable automatically by adjustment of the arm rest to an operative position for supporting the arm rest in an extended, substantially horizontal position or against the outer side of the arm rest when the latter is moved to its normal, upright position.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more iullj7 aoparent from the following description of the drawing, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one end of a divan or soia shown equipped with the adjustable arm rest and illustrating the arm rest in its normal, upright position;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure l but showing the arm rest in an extended, substantially horizontal position;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 1, and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view looking toward a rear corner of the divan or sofa.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, for the purpose of illustrating one application and use of the adjustable arm rest, designated generally 5 and comprising the invention, the numeral 6 designates generally one end of a divan or sofa of which said arm rest 5 forms a part and including a frame 'i having depending supporting legs 8 at the corners thereof and which provides a support for a cushion 9 forming the seat of the divan or sofa 6. Said divan or soia 6 also includes a substantially rigid back rest Ill which is likewise preferably cushioned. l"

The adjustable arm rest 5 which may be suitably cushioned or padded on its inner side as indicated at II to correspond with the seat 9 and back rest Iii, has a substantially rigid bar I2 se` cured across its outer side and adjacent its bottom edge to which corresponding leaves of a plurality of hinges I3 yare suitably fastened. The other leaves of the hinges I3 are secured to an end of the frame 'I or to the legs 8 by a conventional driven fastening for swingably supporting the ad justable arm rest 5 for swinging movement :from its normal upright position of Figure l to an eX- tended position, as illustrated in Figure 2. A bar or cleat I4 is secured to and extends across the outer side of the arm rest 5 adjacent its upper edge. A hook I5 is swingably mounted on a pin IB which projects from one end of the cleat I4, said hook I5 being swingable across the outer or backside of the back rest Ill into and out of engagement with a pin I1 which projects rearwardly from the back rest Ill. lt will be readily apparent that the hook I5, when in engagement with the pin I1, will retain the adjustable arm rest 5 in its normal upright position of Figure 1.

A brace I8, preferably in the form of a substantially rigid plate, is connected by means of a plurality of hinges I9 to the legs 8, substantially below the hinges i3 for swingably supporting the brace I8 on the divan or soia 6. A spring 20 is associated with the hinges i9 and arranged to urge the brace I3 upwardly and inwardly with respect to the divan ii so that when the arm rest 5 is latched in its raised position of Figures l and 3, the spring 2d will retain the brace E8 in an upright position and with its 'upper portion bearing against the bar I2.

When it is desired to utilize the adjustable arm rest 5 as an additional seat or for reclining on the divan 6, the hook Iii is swung upwardly to disengage it from the pin Il so that the arm rest 5 can be swung outwardly and downwardly on its hinges is to its extended position of Figure 2. As the arm rest 5 is swung outwardly and downwardly7 it will cause the brace I8 to swing outwardly and downwardly on its hinges I9 against the action `of its spring 20. In this movement of the arm rest li, the upper free edge of the brace I8 will slide outwardly along the outer surface of the arm rest 5 until said arm rest reaches substantially a horizontal position as seen in Figure 2 at which time the outer, free edge of the brace I8 will move into engagement with the inne edge of the cleat lil which thus forms a stop fe the brace I B so that the brace will support the arm rest in substantially the same plane as the seat 9 to enable its use as an auxiliary seat or as a rest for the legs in reclining on the sea-t 0 of the divan. The strength of the spring 2e is insufficient to return the arm rest il to its raised position but when said arm rest 5 is swung upwardly and back to its position of Figures l and 3, the spring 20 will automatically return the brace I8 to its positionofFigures 1 and 3.

Obviously; the parts l2, i4 and i8 may be made to conform in appearance to the material of the frame 1.

Various modications and changes are-contendu plated and may obviously be resorted to, Without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter dened by the appended claim.

I claim as my invention:

An adjustable arm rest for divans or couches comprising an arm rest hingedly connected along l its 'bottcrn edgeto an end of a couch or divan for swinging movement from `a normal upright posi4 tion outwardly andv downwardly tc substantially a :horizontal position, a brace bingedly connected toan end of the divan or sofa beneath' the hinged edge `of the arm rest,spring means for urging said 4 brace upwardly and inwardly and against the outer side of the arm rest and normally supporting the arm rest in an upright position, and a cleat extending along the outer side of the upper free edge of said arm rest and engaging the free end of said brace when the brace is swung outwardly and downwardly by the outward and downward swinging movement of said arm rest for positioning the brace to support the arm rest in its extended, substantially horizontal position.

JACK A. SHAW.

REFERENCES CITED 'The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

